


Who Needs Me to Screw it up for You When You do so Well on Your Own

by victoriousscarf



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - College/University, Bad choices are made, Multi, discussions of consent, totally self indulgent
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-13
Updated: 2016-07-17
Packaged: 2018-05-26 10:33:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6235174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/victoriousscarf/pseuds/victoriousscarf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“This the the coolest,” Fives said, and Echo almost looked like he wanted to tell him to quiet down.</p><p>“We've been going to this school for four years already,” he said.</p><p>“Yeah, but,” Fives said, gesturing out. “We're <i>grad</i> students now. How cool is that?”</p><p>Cody finally looked at him from over the top of his book before his eyes slid over to Rex. “We were never like that, right?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CK_Havlock](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CK_Havlock/gifts).



> There is nothing in here that isn't stupidly self-indulgent and I don't care it's been one of those weeks

Obi-Wan liked his classes and he had to remind himself of that a few times before entering the classroom the second day of new classes. This poetry class only met twice a week so this was going to be its first meeting and he had stayed up the night before rehearsing his introduction speech.

Which all went out the window the instant he saw Anakin Skywalker sitting in the back row, grinning.

Technically class hadn't started yet so he stormed up the steps and hit the table in front of Anakin. “What are you doing here?”

“I'm taking your introduction to poetry class.”

“You're in engineering,” Obi-Wan protested.

“I have another elective to fill,” Anakin said.

“This is why you still haven't graduated,” Obi-Wan muttered. “This is the first class I'm actually teaching on my own, you know that. Don't screw this up for me.”

“Have I ever screwed something up for you?” Anakin asked and if it wasn't only three minutes until Obi-Wan was going to be officially this classes' teacher, he would have started listing them out.

“This is a conflict of interest, you know,” Obi-Wan said.

“Please, like you don't blind grade your assignments.”

“You're my room mate,” Obi-Wan said.

Anakin just shrugged and with another look at the clock, Obi-Wan cursed, waving a finger in front of Anakin's nose. “Don't screw this up,” he repeated and stomped back down to the front of the classroom, trying to remember what he had been planning to say.

-0-

“This the the coolest,” Fives said, and Echo almost looked like he wanted to tell him to quiet down.

“We've been going to this school for four years already,” he said.

“Yeah, but,” Fives said, gesturing out. “We're _grad_ students now. How cool is that?”

Cody finally looked at him from over the top of his book before his eyes slid over to Rex. “We were never like that, right?”

“No, we were mature, cynical and overworked coffee addicted grad students from day one,” Rex promised him.

“Good,” Cody said and went back to his book.

“It's the first day of classes,” Fives said. “Are you already reading for classes?”

“Second day,” Cody corrected. “And yes.”

“When you go to the bathroom with your book you'll know you're really in grad school,” Rex said and for the first time Five's expression dimmed slightly.

“You're kidding right?”

“No,” Rex said happily. “You cook one handed because the book is in the other, you take it everywhere with you...”

“Or your computer,” Cody added.

Echo was obviously trying not to laugh when he clapped Fives on the shoulder. “I need to head out or I'll be late. I'll see you tonight?”

“Yeah!” Fives said, already perking back up. “And I still can't believe you just went into math. What about loyalty and unity?”

“It's grad school, not our unit,” Echo said. “Besides, I like math. I know coding mostly is math too but I just like math, pure and simple and straightforward.”

“Math stopped being straightforward after trig,” Fives protested.

“Only if you don't understand it,” Echo said, backing away and waving before hitching his satchel more securely and taking off across campus at a trot.

“This is so great,” Fives said again.

“We hadn't noticed,” Rex said, watching Cody whose eyes had finally come back up over his book again, looking across the quad. Rex followed his gaze and sighed. “You know, I hear introducing yourself to people is a great way to meet them.”

“Fuck off,” Cody decided, going back to his book again.

-0-

“Why did you sign up for the class again?” Obi-Wan asked, deciding like he usually did there was not enough coffee in the world for him to deal with Anakin.

“Because I want to learn how to write poetry!”

“You could have just asked me!”

“I wouldn't get college credit for it just by asking you. And I need that elective.”

Obi-Wan pinched the bridge of his nose. “I still think this is a conflict of interest. I need a TA for the class I'm TA-ing just to grade your papers.”

Anakin rolled his eyes. “Unlikely.”

Obi-Wan dodged some freshmen who were still starry-eyed and wandering around with their mouths hanging open. “Will this orientation fair ever end?”

“I think it's great,” Anakin declared.

“Because it gives you free stuff.”

“Hey, like you don't like free stuff too,” Anakin said. “Don't play coy with me, Kenobi. I know your nose for events with free food.”

“I'm a graduate student,” Obi-Wan sniffed. “It comes with the territory.”

“How's that thesis coming?” Anakin asked, because he knew for a fact Obi-Wan had almost torn his hair out several times over the summer and had barely progressed an inch.

“Don't make me cover your bed with something untasteful,” Obi-Wan said instead.

“Your threats are the worst,” Anakin muttered and they were finally past the gauntlet of the orientation fair.

“No, they aren't,” Obi-Wan said as a girl ran past them, barely glancing over her shoulder as she knocked into Anakin.

“Sorry!” she said, not slowing.

“Hey!” Anakin said because his bag had been jostled and dumped out all over the ground. “Whoever you are, you owe me for that!”

Obi-Wan stared in resigned horror at the dozens of condoms that had gone spilling out on the ground. “Anakin,” he said. “What even.”

“They were free!” Anakin protested.

“This is embarrassing,” Obi-Wan said.

“Oh whatever, stuffy pants,” Anakin said. “Mr. poetry grad student who hasn't been laid in months, and I know, dude, I live with you.”

“You haven't either!” Obi-Wan said. “And I'm not the one desperate enough to pick up,” he did a few quick calculations. “Thirty free condoms from the sexual health table.”

“More like twenty-seven you heathen,” Anakin said, trying to shove them back into his bag.

“Do you need any help?” a voice from behind them asked, and they turned to find Padme standing there. “I saw your bag,” and she trailed off as she realized what Anakin was hastily shoving back in his bag. “Oh.”

“This isn't,” Anakin started.

Her eyes went up, stubbornly pretending not to see. “I haven't seen you yet this year. Did you have a good summer?”

“Great!” Anakin said with too much punch and if Obi-Wan didn't respect and like Padme so much, he would have been hiding his face behind one hand. “It was great!”

“Oh,” Padme said. “We should... catch up later. I have another class to go to already today...”

“Coffee!” Anakin said too loudly. “How about coffee sometime?”

“That would be nice,” she said with a smile and continued past them.

Anakin watched her go until she turned a corner. “I want to die.”

“This is entirely your own fault,” Obi-Wan said. “And frankly, you deserve it. Like karma or something.”

“I'm revoking your best friend status.”

“Technically, now I'm your teacher,” Obi-Wan said and drifted away.

“Fucker!” Anakin called after him. “At least we're still going out tonight, right?”

“Do I get a choice?” Obi-Wan called over his shoulder.

“Hell no!”

-0-

Obi-Wan plucked the glass out of Anakin's hands. “No more mixing alcohol for you.”

“I embarrassed myself so bad in front of Padme,” Anakin groaned, his head on the bar and Obi-Wan barely resisted the urge to bob his head in time to the pounding music. “My life is over.”

“I hate to remind you what you did last spring—”

“Actually, please don't,” Anakin said after a beat.

“She's still talking to you after that one,” Obi-Wan pointed out, eyes wandering over the club's floor. “So it could be worse.”

Anakin just groaned and Obi-Wan left him there, as the bartender knew them both and had already informed Obi-Wan he would give Anakin no more drinks. “Quin, you are a life saver.”

“Damn straight I am.”

“What about you is straight?” Anakin asked, head on the bar.

“I'll have you know I have a girlfriend,” Quinlan Vos said primly.

“Last week it was a boyfriend,” Obi-Wan said as a parting shot before weaving through the crowd. He'd meant just to find the bathroom, but could feel eyes on him the whole way. When he came back out and joined Anakin again, he had another drink.

“I should cut you off too,” Quin said.

“I'm not mixing,” Obi-Wan said and honestly he had done much worse things than three drinks on a school night. “I'm sticking to whiskey.”

“How is that helping your case?”

“I've done worse?” Obi-Wan offered after some consideration.

“I cannot believe how you think you get away with lecturing me,” Anakin said, head still on the bar.

“Age and wisdom,” Obi-Wan said. “I'm the voice of reason and experience because I haven't died yet.”

“Right, it's that,” Anakin agreed. “For sure.”

Obi-Wan patted him on the shoulder and Anakin was drawn into a conversation with Quin, animatedly waving his hands around and raising his voice to be heard over the music. For a while it was amusing but Obi-Wan's mind started to drift.

Looking back across the club, he considered his options before pushing himself to his feet again, escaping Quin and Anakin's antics and wandering to a back corner, where a man was watching the dance floor.

“Do you ever regret the people that are your friends?” Obi-Wan asked, leaning on the wall next to him.

“All the time,” the man snorted and seemed to realize he was being asked by someone he'd never met. His eyes narrowed slightly.

“I've seen you around,” Obi-Wan said.

“Interesting way of introducing yourself,” the man replied and Obi-Wan almost resented the fact they were almost the same height but the other man was built solidly, with obvious muscles.

“It's been one of those sorts of nights,” Obi-Wan said. “And I hate to say your staring is obvious, except that it really is.”

“Oh,” the man said.

And Obi-Wan thought they said some other things, but it was a blur and entirely possible they hadn't. Because they were kissing and through the drinks and the pounding music and the fact they hadn't even introduced themselves, it seemed like a good idea.

They were kissing, Obi-Wan pressed back against the wall and his arms around the other man's neck, one leg pressed against his waist and it seemed like a brilliant idea. The man's desire had been obvious across the room and he tasted like fruity drinks that came with umbrellas in them.

It was nice to lose himself in the slide of tongues and the feel of rough hands on his hips.

“Cody!” a voice yelled behind them and Cody jerked his head back, Obi-Wan blinking. “Oh Jesus,” a man with bleached blond hair sighed. “I lose track of you for a few minutes.”

“It would have to have been more than a few,” Obi-Wan said and the man who must have been Cody grinned at him.

“Oh, great,” the bleached haired man sighed. “You're a snarky one.”

“Do you have a problem with snark?”

“No,” Cody said and the other just sighed.

“Not that I'm not proud of you,” he said, and Obi-Wan arched a brow at him. “But remember we had a curfew tonight? For the sake of the newbies and all that.”

“Right,” Cody said and his warm hands slid away from Obi-Wan's waist. He made a hurt sound of protest and heat flared in Cody's eyes.

“Obi-Wan!” and there was Anakin, a little unsteady on his feet. “Where the fuck—There you are,” and he blinked at Obi-Wan's companions. “You're not doing something ill-advised are you?”

“When have I ever?” Obi-Wan asked smoothly.

Anakin squinted at him. “You don't want me to answer that, right?”

Cody was grinning at him. “I think our friends both want us to go home.”

“Apparently,” Obi-Wan sighed and honestly would rather wrap his arms around that neck and draw him back in.

And just like that Cody was kissing him again, quick and devious because both the bleached blond and Anakin groaned. “See you later?”

“Sure,” Obi-Wan said.

“You are so not going to remember the sober,” Anakin said as Cody and the other left, Obi-Wan following them as they joined another cluster, one of who said something and threw his hands up.

Obi-wan thought of the swoop in his stomach and the feel of those hands and grinned. “If you say so.”

 

  
  


 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a few different ideas about the Clones but I think I've settled on Cody and Rex are twins, and have a majority Maori descent (Tho their last name is a cop out whoops I'm sorry). They and the rest of the Clones were in the military together and are all military scholarships of some sort.

“I honestly cannot remember the last time I saw you with a hangover,” Rex commented and Cody grunted at him. “I mean, you drink enough. But I just don't remember the last time you succumbed enough to have one.”

Rex paused when Cody refused to respond. “And it's the third day of classes and everything.”

“If you want to be useful, go pick up a pizza or something.”

“It's seven am.”

“Your point?”

Rex hid his grin behind his hands and was about to say something else snide when the man from last night slid into the seat next to him, across from Cody. Rex blinked, clearly surprised as the man pushed a coffee across the table at Cody. “Oh look, it's last night's one night stand.”

“More like one night drunk kisser,” the man said wryly. “One night stand implies sex.”

Cody made a choking sound and inhaled the coffee, somehow managing to glare at Rex the whole time. “Well, it's nice to meet you when your tongue isn't shoved down my brother's throat,” Rex decided finally.

“He's being at least a little sarcastic, isn't he?” Cody nodded in confirmation.

“How do you not forget things?” another man said, sitting across from Rex and glaring at his friend. “Who do you get drunk and still remember things?”

“Because I drink responsibly?”

“You drink like a fish!”

“A responsible fish, Anakin,” the man said and somehow, despite his mused hair and obvious hang over, he managed to look disappointed and prim. Rex almost started laughing. “It's all about moderating your vices.”

“Do you usually lecture people like this?” Rex asked.

“Yeah, Kenobi, do you usually lecture people like this? Or is it always just me you go after?” Anakin asked, almost a whine and Kenobi just grinned at him.

But then he turned back to Cody, who was still watching him. “I did come over here to formally introduce myself. Sadly, I got distracted.”

“So I heard,” Cody said, because the coffee was gone now.

“I can't pass up a good snark,” he said. “But I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi, graduate student.”

The corner of Cody's mouth twisted as Obi-Wan braced his elbow on the table and held his hand out. “Cody Arc,” he said, accepting Obi-Wan's hand and shaking it gingerly. “Also a graduate student. That over there is Rex., my brother and also graduate student.”

“Isn't is awful?” Obi-Wan asked. “Why did we do this to ourselves?”

“Masochism streak,” Cody deadpanned back and Obi-Wan grinned at him.

“Oh hell,” Anakin sighed.

“What are you studying?” he asked.

“Coding,” Cody said.

There was something that might have been a full on grin lurking around the corner of Obi-Wan's mouth. “No wonder I've never seen you before in a class.”

“Let me guess,” Rex sighed, unable to help from butting himself back into the conversation. “You're in something soft and emotional.”

“Poetry,” Obi-Wan said and there was a full on grin on his face.

“Oh my fucking god,” Rex settled for and Cody looked if possible more enamored. Rex couldn't quite remember the last time his brother had looked at someone like that.

His friend Anakin groaned and dropped his head to the table. “Do you have a problem with poetry?” Obi-Wan asked, smiling at him sweetly.

“Why do you even have to go to grad school for something like that?” Rex asked.

“The same reason you go into any creative writing program I suppose,” Obi-Wan said.

“What are you going to even _do_ with it?”

“Rex,” Cody interrupted him.

Obi-Wan just spread his hands out. “That will be decided later. Preferably become an award winning author with lots of awards and plenty of books out on the shelf. Poet laureate sounds nice too.”

“Well, as long as you have ambition,” Rex settled for.

“This is awful,” Fives said, suddenly appearing and Obi-Wan tilted his head back. Fives was halfway down into the seat on the other side of Rex before he registered unusual people at the table. “Wow. Are you being sociable or is Cody? I can't figure out which is more surprising.”

“Cody, technically,” Rex said.

“That would be the more surprising one,” Fives decided.

“Don't make me remind you why I was your superior, Fives,” Cody said.

“Technically I was,” Rex protested.

“I outranked both of you,” Cody said.

“Ah,” Obi-Wan said. “Military?” Cody hummed and Obi-Wan just nodded, which surprised Rex a little. Usually people wanted to know more, like if they had seen service, and where, and what it was like—

He shook his head at himself. Across the table, Anakin had perked up slightly. “So who are you then?” Fives asked, head tilted to the side.

“Obi-Wan Kenobi,” he said, turning on that brilliant smile he had as he reached around Rex to shake Fives' hand.

“Fives,” Fives said, and Rex had honestly forgotten what his given name had been, as he flat out refused to use it. Actually, Rex was starting to suspect he had legally changed his name at some point.

But Obi-Wan didn't seem phased by that at all. “I should probably add I'm a poetry student,” he said. “That seems to be quite shocking at this table.”

“Ugh,” Fives shook his head. “I had to take an intro to poetry class one quarter. No offense but it was the worst experience in my life.”

“Who did you have?” Obi-Wan asked, his brows going up and he still seemed to be smiling. Rex wondered what exactly had to happen to make that stop.

“Professor Windu,” Fives sighed. “He's so stuffy.”

Obi-Wan actually laughed. “He was in the army, you know.”

“No,” Fives said.

“And his has his arrest record framed in his office,” Obi-Wan continued and even Cody looked surprised at that.

“What?” Fives stared at him. “You're just fucking with me.”

“No, he got arrested as a teenager during some protests,” Obi-Wan said. “Several times. Through his college years.”

“But, he's so,” and Fives held up his hands like that explained anything.

“Doesn't change the fact he has his arrest record framed in his office,” Obi-Wan said in a sing song voice.

“And we all know that's something you aspire to,” Anakin added.

“I have not ever been arrested,” Obi-Wan said, that prim tone coming back.

“By a miracle, not by design,” Anakin said.

Obi-Wan just stared at him and Anakin wilted slightly. “You know what, Kenobi? You've never even bothered to introduce me.”

“Usually I don't have to,” Obi-Wan said. “But everyone, this is Anakin Skywalker. Currently in introduction to poetry and a major pain in my ass. He would have graduated two years ago if he would get his shit together.”

“So I'm a super super senior,” Anakin shrugged. “Not everyone can know they wanted to be a stuffy writer since they were five years old.”

“What do you study then?” Rex asked.

“Engineering,” Anakin said and Rex and Fives both perked up, giving him their attention. “Why?”

“I'm in electrical engineering,” Rex said. “He's in bio-engineering,” and Anakin was also suddenly much more alert, leaning forward. Rex thought he distantly heard Obi-Wan say something to Cody, and saw Cody nod, before they both rose and left. But he was too distracted listening as Anakin rattled off a string of questions and Fives started rapid firing answers back.

-0-

Obi-Wan grinned at Cody once they were away from the table at the edge of the quad that had become a mini-engineering conference. “You and your brother look quite similar.”

“Twins,” Cody said, his bag hanging off one shoulder.

“Ah,” Obi-Wan said. “You seem close.”

“Most days,” Cody agreed and Obi-Wan grinned at him. They walked several steps in silence. “You sought me out today.”

“Are you surprised?” Obi-Wan asked.

“A little,” Cody said.

“Alright,” Obi-Wan said. “I admit, I'm not usually so, hm, spontaneous about things like this. But it would be a shame to let such a good kisser out of my sight.”

“I was drunk,” Cody said. “That was not me at my best for kissing.”

Obi-Wan's eyes widened slightly and he could feel a curl of heat at the back of his throat. “Well. Then I really can't let you out of my sight.”

“I'm not the type to just kiss people,” Cody said, eyes sliding over to Obi-Wan and he felt himself falter for a second, his smile almost cracking.

“You mean in a—”

“The casual thing,” he said.

“Ah,” Obi-Wan said and considered. He hoped Anakin would be proud of him when he answered. “I think I can work with that.”

He could see Cody relax slightly and really hoped he meant it. “Well, then I guess we'll have to see what happens.”

“You have been staring at me quite a lot,” Obi-Wan said, stopping to face him and there was almost a smile at the edges of Cody's mouth.

“You're very watchable,” he said, and there was that heat in his eyes again. Obi-Wan wanted to shiver there, in public in the early morning. He wanted to see if Cody would press him against the wall again.

“What a compliment,” he said instead.

“I have to get to class,” Cody said, almost sad and pulled an old, beat up phone from his back pocket. “But I would like your number.”

“Of course,” Obi-Wan said, rattling it off as he stared a bit distracted at Cody's phone. “How ancient is that thing?”

“You don't want to know,” Cody replied, sliding it back into his pocket. “I'll see you later then?”

“Yeah,” Obi-Wan said, giving him a sloppy almost salute and Cody paused, as if he wanted to lecture him on the proper form and Obi-Wan remembered all at once they said they were ex-military. He almost apologized but Cody just shook his head and turned away, striding purposefully to class.

Tilting his head, Obi-Wan wondered if this was such a good idea.

-0-

“You're distracted today,” Qui-Gon remarked and Obi-Wan almost jumped out of his chair.

“Honestly, you could make noise before you sneak up on me.”

Qui-Gon sat in the chair across from him, folding his hands on the table. “Has there been much progress since our last meeting?”

Obi-Wan frowned, flipping through his planner. “This isn't an official meeting,” he protested. “That's supposed to be in two more days.”

Qui-Gon just arched his brows and Obi-Wan felt the ache he usually did. Maybe he should text Cody right now and tell him casual really is his only thing. At least so long as he's stupidly hung up on someone who had no interest in him. “You're not supposed to save all your work until the night before we have a progress meeting,” he said, gently chiding.

“Of course not,” Obi-Wan said. “I would never do such a thing. What must you think of me?”

There was a way Qui-Gon smiled that always made Obi-Wan feel funny and that was the smile he was getting right now. “That you tend to put things off as long as possible?”

“Only until I possibly can't,” Obi-Wan agreed after a beat.

“See what you can get written tonight,” Qui-Gon said. “And then the next night. See what spreading it out does.”

“Mhm,” Obi-Wan said, honestly planning to try.

Qui-Gon just looked fond. Obi-Wan almost wished he had taken Mace on as his main adviser instead. At least that man would yell at him instead of looking so gentle and warm and damnit.

“Are things otherwise going well?” Qui-Gon asked. “I know you were given an adjunct class this quarter.”

“It's going fine,” Obi-Wan said, brightening slightly. “Most of the students somewhat want to be there, unlike the intro composition classes I've been TA-ing before. Most of course is not all, and a lot of them think it's a blow off class.”

“I'm sure you'll be able to convince them otherwise,” Qui-Gon said.

“Other than that everything is fine,” Obi-Wan said, and hoped it was true. “Nothing I can't handle this semester.”

“Any news on when Anakin plans to graduate?” Qui-Gon asked and Obi-Wan rolled his eyes.

“In another three years? Maybe?”

“He'll probably get it together when you leave,” Qui-Gon said and Obi-Wan pulled a face. “What? He admires you, you know.”

“Oh, sure,” Obi-Wan said. “I can tell. It's really obvious.”

“He does,” Qui-Gon said and Obi-Wan honestly wished they had never met. The fact Qui-Gon cared enough about him to know his room mate—who, admittedly, Qui-Gon was fond of for his own merits—only made it worse.

Everything Qui-Gon did made it worse.

“If you say so, I defer to your wisdom,” Obi-Wan said and Qui-Gon smiled at him again before rising.

“I just wanted to see how you were doing,” he said. “I have a meeting with Mace.”

“I have got to get a picture of his office,” Obi-Wan said, more to himself than Qui-Gon and got a raised brow. “Someone didn't believe he has his arrest record framed. Said he was too stuffy.”

“Ah,” Qui-Gon said, actually smiling.

“Say, has Plo come back from his last camping trip yet?” Obi-Wan asked.

“They're due in today,” Qui-Gon said. “Which means, it could be another few days.”

Obi-Wan shook his head. “I take it there will be the usual drinks when he does come in?”

“Of course,” Qui-Gon said and Obi-Wan wished he didn't watch him leave.

His seat was almost immediately occupied by Luminara. “Still mooning?”

“Good to see you too.”

“I heard rumors of you and someone at the bar last night.”

“How do those get around so fast?” Obi-Wan protested.

“Wow,” she said. “You really did make out with someone else. I feel like I should have had money hanging on that or something. I was convinced you'd stay celibate forever since you couldn't have who you wanted.”

Obi-Wan gave her an unimpressed look. “Do I owe this to something?”

“I need a favor.”

“Unlikely at the moment, my dear,” he said.

“Just because you feel wounded I have your number—”

“You have no such thing,” Obi Wan protested. “Remember? I did make out with someone else. I have his number.”

“Wow,” she said again. “Anyway, the favor—”

“Which I just rejected doing—”

“We need someone to moderate open mic night.”

“Oh fuck no,” Obi-Wan said emphatically.

“Hey, Obi, do you remember the time—”

“No,” he cut her off quickly. “Don't remind me you have blackmail material on me. I have oodles on you too. Open mic night is hell. It's so uncivilized.”

“When did you become a British imperialist again?” she asked.

“Ha ha,” Obi-Wan drawled. “No one who can write shows up to open mic night. And if you moderate you have to stay there the whole time and listen to all those awful poems.”

“Some of them are good!”

“I'd rather edit the literary journal,” Obi-Wan shot back and when her eyes lit up he raised his hands. “Oh. No. No. Don't even—”

“Well, you can have a choice between them then,” she said.

Sighed, he pinched the bridge of his nose. “I have so much to do.”

“We all do,” she said, patting his shoulder. “Do it? For me?”

“No.”

She laughed. “Okay. Do it for the credit. Do it for the blackmail. Invite your new boyfriend.”

“If you never mention it again I'll do it,” Obi-Wan said, not lifting his head and she laughed again, rising.

“You're a life saver, dear.”

“Just go,” he groaned and didn't lift his head until he heard her walk away. His phone buzzed in his pocket and he almost ignored it. Instead he pulled it out, squinting at the unknown number and realizing it might be Cody.

For a moment his finger hovered over the text before he opened it. _It's day three and I want scotch and a pizza. Come over?_

 _You'll have to tell me where_ he sent back and smiled because only one other person he knew beside himself used proper punctuation and spelling in texts. An address and a time came back and for a moment he almost still said no.

But instead he typed back _See you then_.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Obi-Wan found himself on his back on Cody's couch, a beer balanced on his chest and his feet in Cody's lap. “That was good pizza,” he said, because this felt strange and he had to say something.

Cody hummed, and there was a book propped open on the arm of the couch, some inane movie playing on the TV. “They deliver at all hours of the day and night too.”

“That's useful in a college town,” Obi-Wan said, and he stared at Cody's profile instead of watching the movie. There was something in the line of his jaw, and his nose that seemed endlessly fascinating. And, well— “How did you get that scar?” Obi-Wan asked and he could see and feel when Cody tensed. “Nevermind. You don't have to tell me.”

“Army, remember?” Cody said, and it was an answer, as much as it wasn't one at all.

“Sorry,” Obi-Wan said and Cody reached out, running his fingers down Obi-Wan's calf and he sucked in a breath, watching as Cody idly repeated the gesture. “That's most distracting.”

“Is it?” Cody asked, and he was still turned toward the television, but Obi-Wan could see the corners of his mouth curl up.

He almost threw up then and there when he realized how domestic this seemed, him and Cody sitting and watching a movie and eating take out food, casually touching and flirting. It felt safe. It was dangerously close to feeling comfortable.

Pushing himself up on his elbows, he fumbled the beer bottle to the table and sat all the way up. “Say,” he said, and tried to put on his most flirtatious smile.

Cody glanced at him, brow quirked up. “Say?” he repeated as a question and Obi-Wan pressed forward until he could kiss him. It almost unbalanced him entirely and Cody's arm came up to wrap around his back, steadying him as he returned the kiss.

Obi-Wan's legs were still straight across Cody's lap and the angle was awkward as a result but he melted into the kiss anyway, his fingers tangled in the back of Cody's short hair. When the kiss broke, he shifted, moving to straddle Cody's waist instead and he felt a thrill when Cody groaned, dropping his head back.

Hands going back to Cody's hair, he guided him back up for another kiss, sinking down in his lap and Cody's hands were at his waist. Obi-Wan moaned, too obvious and Cody drew back. “Hey,” Obi-Wan protested and Cody kissed the bottom of his jaw so Obi-Wan tilted his head, protests stopping.

But when he started to shift his hips, Cody's hands on his waist stopped him.

“What—?” Obi-Wan started, breaking out of his daze.

“Too fast,” Cody said, but his eyes were dark and Obi-Wan just stared at him in shock.

“But,” he started, and clamped his mouth shut again. When someone said that you _did not argue_. Just, no one had said it to Obi-Wan in such a long time, especially not after kissing him like they were both drowning. “Alright,” he managed, trying to get himself under control.

Cody looked up at him, eyes still dark and his fingers started tracing the skin at Obi-Wan's hips, making him shiver. “Sorry,” Cody said, stilling his hands.

“So,” Obi-Wan said, trying to unaffected. “How fast is not too fast?”

Cody kissed his cheek, a brief touch that was then gone. “We'll have to see,” he said and Obi-Wan almost groaned. He barely kept it in check, but Cody seemed to have realized it anyway, and he smiled faintly.

“I'm home—Oh Jesus,” Rex said, shoving the door to the apartment open, another six pack of beer in his arm, and Fives and Echo and Dogma at his shoulder. Obi-Wan just grinned from where he was still on Cody's lap and Cody let his head thud against the back of the couch.

-0-

“I don't understand how he even got the job,” Mace said, for probably the third time. Qui-Gon decided he was going to start counting, just so he could mock Mace about being a broken record later. “How does someone so incompetent get a position like this? And why is he assigned to _me_?”

“You must have made the administration angry,” Qui-Gon remarked. “And they decided to find you the best TA they could.”

“You know what, Jinn?” Mace started and Qui-Gon was distracted, because Obi-Wan was walking the opposite direction, carrying too many books and sniping something at Anakin. Anakin waved behind Obi-Wan's back, and Obi-Wan didn't even seem to notice.

Mace snapped his fingers in front of his face. “I was complaining.”

“You could have carried on,” Qui-Gon said and Mace rolled his eyes.

“I'm going to kill him, just wait.”

“You're not supposed to say that about students,” Qui-Gon said. You also weren't supposed to be distracted by them just by their existence, he added to himself.

“Right, right, if he does end up dead, I'd have put myself as a prime suspect,” he said and Qui-Gon was just about to protest that was not what he meant when they saw a dusty figure walk toward them down the hall.

“Plo!” Qui-Gon called happily, and Plo Kloon waved at them.

“Good day,” he said, voice gravely and a bag stuffed with what looked like dirt and plants slung over one shoulder. “Fair weather we're having, isn't it?”

Qui-Gon and Mace exchanged a look. “It hasn't been,” Mace said. “For like the last month.”

“Enjoy camping then?” Qui-Gon asked and Plo smiled.

“As ever, it was an experience.”

“So which of your students is hosting the we-survived-the-field-trip party?” Mace asked.

“Sinker, I think,” Plo said.

“Well, go put your bag down before it breaks your back and we'll see you there,” Mace said, because everyone seemed to have drinks when Plo and his class came back in from the field.

Plo nodded, and as usual he looked grave and serious but considering he had spent the last week in a tent in the mountains no one who really knew him believed it. “I'll see you there,” he said in his deep and slow voice before looping off down the hall.

“Who do you think will fall off a table this time?” Mace asked.

“Even odds on Anakin or his student Wolffe,” Qui-Gon said after a beat.

-0-

There was some old musical playing in the background, but Obi-Wan had a drink in his hand and that's what mattered the most. “Didn't the semester literally just start?” he asked Anakin. “How were they already on a week long camping trip?”

“The magic of Plo or something?” Anakin asked, looking around the crowded living room. “How do we know so many crazy people?”

“I think it's where we came from,” Obi-Wan said, daintily sipping his drink. “We grew up with it, you know?”

“Right,” Anakin said, and Obi-Wan turned around to find Fives on the table, trying to lead everyone in a toast—or possibly a chorus from the old musical, it was a little unclear because everyone was yelling.

“Say,” Obi-Wan said. “Isn't that you're engineering friend?”

“So it is,” Anakin said and now that Obi-Wan was looking for them, he saw Echo and Dogma off a little ways, talking to several other bulky men with precisely cut hair and military bearing.

“How big of an army was it?” Obi-Wan asked under his breath and then there was Cody, talking to a slightly taller man who was missing one eye.

“Who has an army?” a warm voice asked from behind him and not for the first time, Obi-Wan swore to never come to one of these parties again. He turned around, a smile ready for Qui-Gon.

“Oh, our country's, I presume,” he said and Qui-Gon cocked a brow at him. “How's your night?”

Anakin had turned too when he heard Qui-Gon, and though there were some shadows that never quite left his eyes he smiled. “Hey.”

“Hello,” Qui-Gon said and Obi-Wan almost slunk away. He loved Anakin, and he adored Qui-Gon but being around both of them was too much most days. He was about to make some excuse—probably a lame one—when there was a warm hand on his elbow.

“You just show up everywhere, don't you?” Cody asked and Obi-Wan stared at him before grinning.

“I'm here on Plo's side,” he said. “I assume you're on the grooms?”

Cody's brows shot up. “I find it amusing you're putting Plo as the bride,” he said. “Somehow I think that would fit Wolffe more,” and Qui-Gon honestly choked on his drink. That was impressive and Obi-Wan shot him a glance.

“He'd look lovely in a white dress,” Qui-Gon managed when he could breathe again.

“Wouldn't he?” Cody deadpanned. They were both looking at Obi-Wan like they expected something.

“Oh, this is,” and he gestured. “Cody, this is Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon, Cody.”

“Well, you got at least part of the introduction thing down,” Cody said and Anakin had slipped away and Obi-Wan thought he saw him get up on the the table too. It was going to be crowded up there soon. “I'm a student, in computer coding.”

“I teach in the poetry department,” Qui-Gon said, still smiling. “I'm Obi-Wan's adviser and Anakin's foster father.”

Cody's brows went up again and he glanced at Obi-Wan to find his face frozen. He still smiled, but something had gone still and tense and Cody turned back to Qui-Gon. “It was nice to meet you,” he said, and took Obi-Wan's elbow. “Oh, your drink looks low, I'll get you another one,” and he dragged him away. It said something that Obi-Wan murmured something in agreement and went with him.

“Whatever is Fives trying to sing?” Obi-Wan asked, over the din as he followed Cody.

“It's either Mac the Knife or Army Song,” Cody said, sounding distracted as Fives was trying to teach the song to Anakin, who gamely was giving it a go. Every few lines, several of the other students would roar it with them.

“I think it's one of Plo's favorites and he subjects all his students to it,” Cody said. “Which means I got subjected to it because Wolffe is an asshole.”

“I was wondering why a college party was playing a musical,” Obi-Wan said. “Usually somehow I manage to miss these parties.”

“Whyever would you?” Cody asked with a wry smile.

“Why indeed?” Obi-Wan asked and he twined his arm around Cody's waist, stopping when he saw Anakin hop down from the table. “Oh dear. We should see what just happened.”

“What?” Cody asked, but Obi-Wan was already bee-ling for Anakin, who was in turn storming toward a girl with dreadlocks and who was talking animatedly to another girl who was slighter with bobbed hair.

“You!” Anakin thundered and despite behind a head taller than the girl, she turned back to him with an unaffected expression.

“Me?” she offered. “And you? Do you want something?”

“You're the one who ran into me the other day!” Anakin said.

She blinked. “Oh,” and snapped her fingers. “Sure. I already said sorry about that.”

“Do you know how embarrassing that was?” Anakin demanded, Obi-Wan at his elbow and Cody bemused behind him.

“If it was embarrassing that was your fault, not mine,” she said with a shrug. “What, did something bad fall out of your bag?” Anakin flushed and she laughed. “Oh dude, no, that really isn't my fault that's all on you.”

“Actually, that is true,” Obi-Wan said. “You are the one who went crazy at the sex-ed table.”

The girl blinked and then started laughing. “Oh my fucking god, no wonder you were mad. Still you're own fault though.”

Anakin opened his mouth and Obi-Wan just laughed, Cody trying to hide his own smile. “Everyone is against me here, aren't they?”

“I'm Ahsoka,” she said, holding out her hand and Anakin scowled as he took it.

“Anakin.”

“Who's side are you on?” Obi-Wan asked. “The bride or the groom?” and she squinted at him.

“Wait, who is which?”

“Wolffe is the bride,” Cody said from behind Obi-Wan's elbow.

“Oh,” she said and grinned, her companion blushing and trying to look smaller. “The groom's then.”

Fives and Rex were singing another song and Obi-Wan thought it might have been arguing about a man. “I have got to come to these parties more,” he said and only Cody could hear him. He grinned at him, slipping away into the crowd and leaving Ahsoka and Anakin sniping at each other. “I think Anakin found a new friend.”

“He seems good at that,” Cody said, one of his hands warm on Obi-Wan's waist and Obi-Wan turned into the circle of his arms.

“We should find a corner.”

“Didn't public kissing not work out for us last time?” Cody asked. But there was still something wrong in Obi-Wan's expression and as much as Cody wanted to ask about Qui-Gon and whatever _that_ had been he let Obi-Wan lead him into a corner and pressed him up against the wall there.

They managed to keep that up for almost fifteen whole minutes before Tup of all people found them and started yelling for Fives because Cody was making out with someone and they needed a camera.

Obi-Wan laughed against Cody's shoulder as Cody started barking out annoyed demands for Tup to go away, and it was Wolffe who appeared with the camera.

-0-

Obi-Wan walked into their living room the next morning, walking right past the form on the couch and heading for the coffee. On his way back he paused in the doorway, squinting.

He went into Anakin's bed room and shook him awake.

“What?” Anakin demanded.

“Why is there someone sleeping on our couch?” Obi-Wan asked. “Especially her. Last time I saw you, you were fighting like five year olds.”

Anakin blinked at him the memory seeming to come back. “Oh. She was too drunk and didn't have a way home. And some of the guys were being assholes about it.”

“And she trusted you enough to sleep on our couch?” Obi-Wan asked.

“Well, more she said she trusted you, fuck knows why.”

Obi-Wan hummed, returning to the kitchen and putting on more coffee. With his first cup of coffee down, he put on the water for the tea he would drink for the rest of the day.

By the time Anakin and Ahsoka actually bothered to get up enough to wander into the kitchen, he even had a half decent breakfast. “No one say a word about my cooking,” he said.

“You have coffee,” Ahsoka said, inhaling a cup and Anakin looked impressed.

“Well, and food,” Obi-Wan said and crossed his arms over his chest. “Now, children, we should lay out some ground rules.”

“Ground rules?” Ahsoka asked. “Like, don't fight in the back seat of the car, stuff like that?”

“You catch on quick,” Obi-Wan said and she grinned.

“I try,” she said, poking at the toast before several slices abruptly disappeared.

“This was a one time thing,” Anakin protested. “It's not like I'm adopting her or anything.”

Obi-Wan and Ahsoka exchanged a look. “He totally is, isn't he?”

“I think he's always wanted to be a big brother,” Obi-Wan said.

“Oh, goodie,” Ahsoka said and Anakin yelled, wordless at both of them.

The door bell rang and Obi-Wan left the two in the kitchen bickering to open the door. “Qui-Gon,” he said, good mood vanishing.

“I see everyone made it home from the party alright,” Qui-Gon said and Anakin sat tense on the bar stool in the kitchen.

“Quite,” Obi-Wan said, closing the door so he and Qui-Gon were on the doorstep at the top of the stairs leading to their apartment. “Can we help you this morning?”

“You forgot this last night,” Qui-Gon said, handing Obi-Wan his jacket.

“Ah,” Obi-Wan said, squashing down the curl of want and affection. “Thank you.”

“I was half hoping I could convince Anakin to breakfast as well,” Qui-Gon said and Obi-Wan forced a smile.

“You know how he is,” Obi-Wan said. “Once he's already started eating you can't tear him away, even for more food.”

“It's good to see you're taking care of him,” Qui-Gon said. “I know the last few years with him were hard,” and Obi-Wan's smile had frozen. “But I'm glad.”

“You know I'm not doing it for you,” Obi-Wan said, because sometimes he wondered if he was. But then Anakin would grin at him and they would fight the whole way home about what Chinese take out to order and he knew it wasn't true.

“I know,” Qui-Gon said. “But it makes me feel better nonetheless.”

“Tomorrow is Sunday,” Obi-Wan said after a beat. “You could see if he wants to meet you for breakfast then.” It felt odd, to offer an olive branch between them.

But Qui-Gon smiled and there was the flip of his stomach.

“Thank you,” he said and Obi-Wan nodded.

“He hasn't said yes yet,” and he opened the door again, shoving Anakin out of the kitchen and toward Qui-Gon.

“So,” Ahsoka said as they both listened to the stilted conversation right outside. “Family drama?”

“You could say that,” Obi-Wan said, dumping plates in the sink.

“I know this is your fault,” Anakin said, entering the kitchen and Qui-Gon already having left.

“Did you at least agree?” Obi-Wan asked and there was something brittle in his voice.

“Yes,” Anakin said. “Are you pleased with yourself?”

“A little,” Obi-Wan said, and looking between them, Ahsoka kept her mouth shut.

-0-

Rex was curled up around his gameboy on the couch when Fives and Tup came storming into his apartment.

“What the hell do you want?” he groused.

“Oh my god, he's slacking!” Tup said.

“You're still in undergrad, you quiet,” Rex said, still not having looked up.

“We should observe the graduate student in his natural habitat carefully,” Fives said. “They spook easily, but here you can see one who proves that they are not so different from other beings. They too want to take breaks and be slackers, even though the rest of the time they are quiet and secretive as they scurry from—”

Rex threw a pillow at his head and Fives caught it, laughing.

“What the fuck do you want?” he asked, upgrading his annoyance.

“Well,” Tup shifted from foot to foot. “It's an open mic night down at the underground cafe on campus.”

Rex peered at him over the top of the gameboy. “Yes?”

“He wants moral support is what he's saying and Echo locked himself in his room ages ago,” Fives said.

“You want me to go to an open mic night?” Rex repeated, trying to get his mind around that.

“As moral support,” Fives said and Tup was blushing, which meant it was Fives idea more than his. That more than anything got Rex up, even though he kept grumbling as he went to find a hoodie and knocked at Cody's door.

“Yo, we're going to go be moral support.”

“We're what?” Cody asked, opening the door and just wearing sweats and a tee shirt. After enough years in the army it still felt weird to see his brother so dressed down.

“Going to be moral support for Tup at open mic night,” Rex said and Cody stared at him before he finally sighed.

“Oh, alright,” he said, closing the door and Rex grinned.

“We have to let the prima donna get dressed,” he explained when Tup blinked.

“Shut up!” Cody said through the door, opening it again moments later in jeans and a button down.

“Dude, it's on the campus cafe,” Fives said.

“So?” Cody asked, fetching his coat and Rex grinned.

“You don't have to dress like you're going on a date,” Fives groaned. “Jesus, relax a little.”

“This is me relaxed,” Cody said and flickered a look at Rex that only made him grin more, because Cody was slyly amused.

“Right,” Fives said. “You're right, compared to what you're usually like, this is relaxed.”

“We should go before Tup has a heart attack,” Rex said.

“I'm not!” Tup started to protest but he did look like he was about to vibrate through the floor from nerves and Rex threw an arm around his shoulders as Cody locked the door.

“You'll do great kid, don't worry.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know why but the idea of Plo Kloon teaching his students the Three Penny Opera cracks me up, work with me


	4. Chapter 4

“So when do I get to find out about the guy that showed up today?” Ahsoka asked, hanging off the back of Obi-Wan's chair as he tried not to wince through the beat poem being read on stage.

“What?” he asked, shaking his head slightly. “That's not even the right _rhythm_.”

“The guy this morning,” she repeated. “When do I get to find out about him and you and Anakin?”

“You're quite nosy for just being adopted,” Obi-Wan remarked.

“Oh, I see, this is one of those you must be level fifteen to unlock the tragic backstory deals?”

“It's not that tragic,” Obi-Wan said. “And it's level twenty-five.”

Her brows inched up. “Oh, well, if it's not tragic then why all the extra levels?”

“You know what is tragic,” Obi-Wan said, rubbing the space between his eyebrows. “This poem.”

“It's not much of a poem, is it?” Ahsoka asked.

“It needs to be taken out back and shot,” Obi-Wan said as it finally came to an end. When the boy on the stage turned to him with a dazzling grin, he obediently clapped. Not very many other people did.

“This is killing you, isn't it?” she asked with a lazy grin.

“Someone is going to owe me a massive favor, which is this night's only redeeming factor so far.”

“Is Anakin going to read a poem?” Ahsoka asked. “I haven't seen him around.”

“If he is, I'm going to change the locks and not tell him,” Obi-Wan decided and scanned the audience. “There he is, trying to buy Padme a drink.”

“Is that working for him?” Ahsoka asked as the next nervous student took the stage. Before he could start reading, a roar went up from a back table, someone actually standing on the table to clap. Obi-Wan's eyes darted away from Anakin to the table, seeing Anakin's new engineering friends and his own—well, make out buddy at the loud table.

The one he thought was called Fives was pounding on the table and yelling something. The boy on stage blushed, holding his poem up to his face and stammering out the first few lines. Obi-Wan saw Cody shushing Fives, and dwelt for a while on how his arms flexed in his roll up sleeves.

Once the boy on stage got over the first few stammering lines though, his voice started to gain strength and he got lost in reading his own poem in front of everyone. By the end of it, Obi-Wan didn't even have to pretend to clap and Fives was banging the table again, Rex whistling and Cody clapped sedately beside them.

“That wasn't half bad,” Ahsoka remarked.

“If he can get over his stammer he might be quite good at beat poems,” Obi-Wan agreed, eyes still on Cody across the cafe.

“How much longer are you supposed to endure this anyway?”

“Excellent question,” Obi-Wan sighed, checking his watch. “Too long.”

-0-

Cody caught up to him afterwards, when Obi-Wan was walking down the street toward the nearest bar. Ashoka had disappeared and Anakin was still somewhere with Padme. “I could feel you watching me.”

“Feel it?” Obi-Wan asked with a tilt of his eyebrows. “That seems a little melodramatic for you.”

Cody shrugged, his hands in his pockets and his shirt sleeves were still rolled up to his elbows. Obi-Wan tried not to stare, tried not to want to nuzzle against that shoulder and up to that neck and see where that got him. “Maybe. But you have quite the stare.”

“Do I?” Obi-Wan asked, almost teasing.

Cody hummed as they walked, moving between streetlights. “When you stare it's like the thing you're looking at is the only thing in the world but you'd be willing to change your mind at a moment's notice. Until you do though, it's quite a heady sensation to be the subject of that regard.”

“Open mic night just ended,” Obi-Wan said, to cover his shock and Cody just nodded.

“You used to stare at me all the time, between classes, when you didn't know who I was,” Cody said. “I got used to it.”

“I think I'd like to get drunk after that night,” Obi-Wan said, instead of anything else.

Cody smiled, the corners of his mouth twitching up. “Didn't you get drunk last night?”

“Tomorrow's Sunday,” Obi-Wan said. “I can totally afford to do it again.”

Which is how he ended up pressed against the wall again, Cody's hands warm on his hips while he clung to his shoulders and biceps, curling his fingers into those muscles the shirt showed off so well. Obi-Wan didn't remember being particularly fond of being held against a wall, but he certainly was now.

But then Cody gently let him down, the taste of whiskey in his mouth and walked him home like a gentleman and Obi-Wan crawled into bed and hid his head under a pillow.

-0-

“I'm sorry,” Anakin said abruptly, and Obi-Wan looked up from the book he had open in his lap, several others littering the couch on either side of him.

“What?” he asked and Anakin tossed a couple of his books off the couch, ignoring the unhappy sound Obi-Wan made to curl up on his side, the top of his head pressed against Obi-Wan's thigh.

“I'm sorry,” Anakin repeated, looking studiously at the wall, and a couple hours ago he had come home from brunch with Qui-Gon quiet and a little angry. “For getting the thing you wanted so bad and not appreciating it.”

Obi-Wan's face settled into no expression as he stared at the distant wall now too. “That's not your fault,” he said.

“I know,” Anakin continued, as if he hadn't heard. “That Qui-Gon knew you before I even got to the orphanage. I know you still love him,” and Obi-Wan made a disagreeing sound, like he didn't want Anakin to even say those words. “I know he's hung the moon and stars to you. I'm sorry I'm the kid he chose to foster. I'm sorry I didn't—I don't appreciate that.”

Obi-Wan paused before he gently ran a hand down Anakin's hair, which was getting too long again. “You needed to get out,” he said simply. “He took you in. I was fine.”

Anakin snorted. “Like fuck you were.”

“What brought all this on?” Obi-Wan asked, trying to remember the last time Anakin had apologized for anything. He hadn't even apologized for accidentally killing his fish a couple years ago. The poor thing had been a gift.

“The way you look at him,” Anakin said. “The fact we can't even have brunch without fighting again.”

Obi-Wan sighed. “He cares a lot about you. And me, in his own way.”

“Still,” Anakin said, raising one hand in the air and Obi-Wan twined their fingers together. It wasn't often anymore Anakin asked for physical reassurance. “He took me in and not you and I know that hurt and I'm a thankless bastard about it.”

“You were my friend before that too,” Obi-Wan said, because somehow when Anakin, red eyed and pale faced had shown up at the orphanage, Obi-Wan had gotten a new shadow. “It was his decision that hurt. You had nothing to do with it.”

“And now I distracted you from work.”

“I'm hung over anyway,” Obi-Wan sighed. “It's fine.”

Anakin turned, and buried his face in Obi-Wan's stomach. For a second Obi-Wan tensed, before relaxing again. “I don't know what I'd do without you.”

“Well, we won't find out, will we?” Obi-Wan said and Anakin tried to chuckle.

After a few more minutes, he disentangled himself and wandered off to the kitchen, banging some pots around and Obi-Wan buried his face in his hands.

-0-

“Has anyone heard from Hevy at all recently?” Rex asked, the next time Fives and Tup and Echo were over with Chinese take out and extra controllers for the Halo tournament.

Fives sighed, slinking down further on the couch. “He's just annoyed,” Echo said and calmly shot Fives' warthog off a cliff.

“You fucker,” Fives said.

Cody laughed, one eye on his phone. “Watch your language around the kid.”

“Hey,” Tup protested.

“Anyway, how's he been?” Rex asked.

“Hip deep in his physical therapy program,” Echo said. “And spending a lot of time with Ninety-Nine.”

“They both deserve that,” Cody said.

“We're his friends too,” Fives muttered.

Cody glanced at Rex, as if asking his twin to give him strength. “Doesn't mean he can't spend time with other people. I'm sure he'll remember us eventually. You gotta give people space, when they get to chance to be with the people they most want to be.”

“Speaking of, how're you doing with your new boyfriend?” Echo asked.

“Boyfriend?” Cody asked and his distraction was enough for Rex to come down on him from above and he sighed, as his avatar was stabbed in the back.

“Isn't that what he is?” Tup asked. “You've, uh, been kissing a lot.”

“They make out everywhere,” Rex groaned.

Cody sat for a moment, and even though he had respawned Fives managed to get in another quick kill as Cody seemed to absorb that. “That doesn't mean he's my boyfriend.”

“Dude, then what does?” Fives asked.

“Like you're one to talk,” Echo said.

“What does that mean?” Fives hissed and Echo just grinned back at him.

“You know, I think it's good Hevy is doing the physical therapy program,” Tup said. “After his injuries no one thought he would recover.”

Fives and Echo's faces both fell as they remembered. “But he did,” Fives said, still viciously proud of him.

“And now he's going to help others do the same,” Tup said.

“Okay, but we just changed the subject from Cody's boyfriend,” Rex pointed out and Cody sniped him brutally from across a ravine. “Which we shouldn't give up on so fast.”

“I like his room mate,” Fives said. “But he seems weird.”

“Look who's talking,” Cody said and Fives scowled at him.

“I mean, weird in a different way. He's sorta twitchy, you know?”

“I think Cody finds that attractive,” Rex said and Cody narrowed his eyes at him. Rex almost instantly snapped his mouth shut.

“He is a bit different,” Echo said. “He's... I guess more refined? Like, the old British professor or something, who drinks tea and eats scones and has lived in Oxford his whole life.”

“The tea drinking thing is true,” Cody said, and was brutally going through them one by one on the screen, raking up points and kills. “Not so sure about the rest of it.”

“He belongs in one of those period dramas,” Fives said. “You know with the white lace parasols and floating down the stream in boater hats while everyone moans about the loss of innocence.”

“How about I invite him to the next one of these and watch him decimate you?” Cody asked.

“Bring it on,” Fives said as the round ended.

-0-

Obi-Wan came home to find a puddle of water in the entry way, drips leading into the kitchen. “Anakin!” he called. “What are you up to?”

“Um,” he heard from the kitchen. “That's a good question?”

“Oh fuck,” Obi-Wan decided, running to the kitchen to find Anakin bent over the sink, a tiny ball of fur in there and meowing piteously. It sounded like it was certain it would die and the world was an awful place. “Is that a _cat_?”

“You don't have to say it like that!” Anakin protested. “The little thing was alone and cold and I can feel it's ribs and it was _raining_.”

“We are not adopting a cat,” Obi-Wan said and another tiny little mewl of despair came out of the sink. “Anakin. There is no way.”

“Look at it,” Anakin protested and Obi-Wan made the mistake of doing just that. “It needs our help!”

“Are we even capable of that?” Obi-Wan asked. “Do you know how expensive cats are?”

Which is how he ended up with Anakin and a somewhat drier cat in the cat aisle of their local pet store. “Why are there so many kinds of food?” he asked the wall in some despair.

“We'd need kitten, right?” Anakin asked, hitching the bundle closer to his chest.

“That narrows it down,” Obi-Wan said. “Slightly.”

“I like that one's packaging,” Anakin said, pointing.

“We can't chose a food based on whether the bag is pretty or not,” Obi-Wan said, except after he went up and down the aisle, checking every label like he had any idea of what he was looking for, he conceded that the pretty one was probably the best for it's price, and by conceding to the food and the bowls and the toys and the collar he realized they had just adopted a stray cat.

“There's a vaccine clinic next week,” he said, grabbing a flyer and deciding he might as well commit wholly to this new venture.

“Great,” Anakin said and Obi-Wan sighed when Anakin flashed him a grin.

“Why do I let you talk me into these things?”

“I think his name should be Threepio.”

“Is that even a name?” Obi-Wan protested.

-0-

“And now there's a cat and it's a neurotic mess,” Obi-Wan groused into his coffee, Cody sitting across from him and between them too many papers. Obi-Wan's poetry notes were mingling with Cody's textbooks, his laptop up in front of him.

The corners of Cody's mouth were twitching in that quiet smile he had. “Did the kitten keep you up?”

“Oh shut up,” Obi-Wan muttered and Cody waved aimlessly to someone, Obi-Wan craning his neck to find them. “Another army friend?”

Cody hummed.

“Seriously, did your whole division apply to the same college or something?”

“More or less,” Cody said, eyes still on his screen and Obi-Wan paused, obviously considering that.

“Huh,” he settled for. “You know, I was almost in a gang war once, does that count?”

Cody's eyes snapped up, and he stared at him for a long moment. “The almost doesn't,” he said after a beat. “Though now I'm very curious to heart this story.”

“It's actually not that interesting,” Obi-Wan waved it off. “Not nearly as much as the time I ended tied to a pole in the quad.”

“What?” Cody asked, his eyes practically sparkling. “I must have missed that incident.”

“How tragic for you,” Obi-Wan said. “I'm told it was most amusing, though I didn't see it at the time.”

Cody grinned, leaning forward. “Do you see it now?”

“No,” Obi-Wan said. “I was after all tied to a pole in the middle of the quad. It might take another five years for the embarrassment to die down.”

Cody opened his mouth, about to say something else when someone called at him from across the quad in question, approaching their table.

“Cody, long time without seeing you,” the man said, advancing.

“Another military friend?” Obi-Wan asked wryly.

“Of course,” Cody said. “Good to see you Boil. Obi-Wan, this is Boil. Boil, my boyfriend, Obi-Wan.”

“What?” Obi-Wan squeaked.

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Posting this chapter while rewatching season six of the clone wars is a horrible choice)

Boil and Cody were both staring at him, and there was something fragile in Cody's expression. “I mean, of course I—I need to go,” Obi-Wan said, and he slid one of Cody's texts into his bag with the hodgepodge of his notes and papers as he rose. “Good to meet you, of course, I just, have a thing, and I need to—” he gave one last wave, throat clogged with panic.

Once he was away, all the way across campus and locked in the back janitor closet that was almost always unlocked, he pulled his phone out. He thumbed through his contact list three times before he hit a number without processing who he was actually calling until she picked up.

“Obi-Wan?” Padme asked. “Are you okay? Is Anakin okay?” There was an edge of panic in her voice and Obi-Wan winced, realizing he never called her.

“Anakin has adopted a psychotic cat who thinks it's always dying. I mean, a hypochondriac cat, who would have thought? Anakin is fine.”

“You don't sound fine,” she remarked, and there was silence around her which meant she probably was off campus.

“I'm fine,” he said, too droll and too long after she spoke.

“Uh-huh. Do you want to come over, I can ply you with ice cream, and you can not talk about it while we watch _the Gilmore Girls_?”

“First of all, no,” Obi-Wan said. “I demand _Veronica Mars_ , or this conversation is ending right now.”

“I think I can manage that,” Padme said after a beat.

“And Mint chocolate chip,” Obi-Wan added after a beat, aware he sounded pathetic.

“You are really messed up, aren't you?” Padme asked, but there was not judgment in her voice.

“I just literally ran away from the man who called me his boyfriend and am hiding in a janitor closet,” Obi-Wan said. At least he had discovered it was usually unlocked because last time there had been someone else crammed in here with him.

Stunned silence greeted him.

“I think this calls for sparkling wine too,” Padme said.

“Ugh,” Obi-Wan managed.

“Shut up, you know you love it.”

“Can we pretend for a second I have some masculine pride?”

“Sparkling wine can be masculine,” Padme protested. “Anything can be if you're a man and you like it, Jesus. Also you're the one who literally ran away from a man for calling you something. To hide. In a closet.”

“I'm emotionally unstable?” Obi-Wan offered.

“Sparkling wine, mint chocolate chip, and Netflix,” Padme said. “And you're going to call this boy you just ran out on and tell him you're crazy and hopefully he still likes you anyway.”

“I am not boyfriend material,” Obi-Wan said. “Calling him would be—”

“Please shut up,” Padme said. “I'll see you in half an hour.”

She hung up before he could offer any more protests and for a while he sat in the closet, holding the phone cradled against his chest and breathing before he pulled up Anakin's number, sending him a text.

_Anakin I'm eloping with Padme. Please forgive us._

A few seconds later he got a reply. _the fuck you are not pick up some wet food for 3po on your way home asshole._ Obi-Wan shook his head at the text, wondering how Anakin managed to shorten his cat's name like that.

By the time he crawled out of the closet he almost felt like he could face the world. Which probably explained how he instantly ran into the janitor who was carrying a broom back to where it actually belong. They both tumbled to the ground, the broom hitting Obi-Wan in the head and he figured he deserved that.

“Shit, shit,” he managed, trying to untangle them from each other and the floor the same time the other man did and sent them both down again. “Oh for fuck's sake—”

“No, it's my fault, I'm sorry,” the man said and they finally figure out how to both stand, the man stooping down to get his broom back and Obi-Wan wanted to curse again when he realized the man had a stooped back and bending down—and probably falling down—looked painful.

“I was the one hiding in your closet,” he said. “You're very functional supply closet you probably needed.”

The man considered him for a second, and Obi-Wan tried not to stare at the hump on his back. “Was there a reason you were hiding in the closet?” he asked and there was a hint of sly wryness to the way he said closet that Obi-Wan almost chuckled.

“I was panicking,” he said.

“Than I'm glad you could find a safe place,” the man said with such sincerity Obi-Wan wanted to just crawl away.

“Erm,” he managed, and his phone vibrated with another text in his back pocket. “Thanks,” he said lamely.

The man smiled, and turned away, seeming happy to go about his day despite Obi-Wan making it more difficult. Before he could do anything else, Obi-Wan just turned and walked away, ignoring the second buzz of his phone.

When he got a block toward Padme's house he checked his phone, saw two texts from Cody and shoved it back in his pocket without checking them.

-0-

Boil watched Cody watch Obi-Wan run away. “So, boyfriend, huh?”

“It's a work in progress,” Cody said after a beat.

“You tell him that yet?” Boil asked.

“How's the adoption going?” Cody asked, because he could and Boil's face started to turn red.

“We are not—there is no—we're not adopting! There's—it's not—we're not!”

“You sure Waxer knows about that?” Cody asked with an innocent smile because that was easier than banging his head against the table or going after Obi-Wan.

“It's your boyfriend that just ran away,” Boil said.

“Yes, believe me, I haven't forgotten that,” Cody said, enough dourness seeping into his voice that Boil took pity on him and sat down across from him. “He took one of my books too.”

“Which means he'll have to see you again to get it back, which means you can kiss him into submission.”

“Right,” Cody said after a beat, not as disbelieving as he could have been.

Boil shrugged. “He doesn't seem your type, though.”

“Have you ever known me to date?” Cody asked after a beat, actually curious. He hadn't through Boil had been there for any of his not fantastic choices.

Boil considered. “Okay, point. He just looks so Victorian. And like you could bench press him.”

“That's actually,” Cody considered. “Probably true and—”

“Actually that sounds sorta hot as hell,” Boil finished for him.

Cody hummed. “Okay, but now you have to explain how you know Victorian as a descriptor—”

“Fuck you man,” Boil said. “I've seen the stupid BBC dramas.”

“You have?” Cody asked.

Boil rolled his eyes and propped his hand up in one palm. “You know as well as I do your brother loves that shit—”

“Yes, I do,” Cody said, because sometimes Rex actually cried while watching period dramas while Cody just sorta sat there with his eyebrows raised at the screen, trying to figure it out.

“Him and Waxer trade them sometimes,” Boil said and sighed. “Ever see _North and South_?”

“There's at least two of them,” Cody said. “I assume the Victorian one, not the Civil War one?”

“Yeah,” Boil said.

“There's two versions of that one,” Cody said. “I've seen _both_.”

Boil snorted. “Man, how do they even find these things?”

“I have no idea,” Cody said.

“On the other hand, your boyfriend looks like he would look fucking great in an ascot.”

“Tell me truthfully,” Cody said as he considered his phone. “Did you honestly think you would ever know what an ascot is well enough to use it in a sentence?”

“Fuck no,” Boil said.

-0-

“Have you actually texted him back yet?” Padme asked, and her cat was curled up in her lap, her tiny little paws under her chin as she warily watched Obi-Wan.

“No,” Obi-Wan admitted, cradling his wine glass against his chest. “I remember now why I usually just go for brandy or whiskey.”

“Ugh,” Padme groaned. “Don't even say such coarse things around my Cava.”

“Sorry,” Obi-Wan apologized to his wine glass. “I didn't mean it. You've been lovely tonight.”

“That's better,” she said, scratching her cat between her ears.

“Remind me again how your white cat got dyed blue?” Obi-Wan said after a beat.

“Nah-uh,” Padme shook her head. “It was a horrible art project gone wrong. It might be a month until she's back to normal.”

Obi-Wan snickered and the cat narrowed her eyes at him as if she sensed he was being mean. A few short and high pitched meows came out before the cat settled back down.

“Anyway,” Padme said, watching him. “You should at least text him. Better yet, call him.”

“I've been having such a lovely night,” Obi-Wan said. “Why much you ruin it now?”

“You're the one who ran away from your boyfriend,” Padme said and Obi-Wan could feel the same panic clawing up his throat, threatening to strangle him. _Boyfriend_ meant emotional entanglement. _Boyfriend_ meant someone who was going to stay around until they didn't.

Obi-Wan had spent years convincing himself and everyone around him that he didn't need anyone to stay around. Anakin stuck like a bur to his skin, but Anakin didn't count. He was as much of a mess as Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon was that attachment that would never go anywhere but somewhere professional, a guiding star that Obi-Wan dealt with every day but never had to fear.

Cody had situated himself in a place that was _dangerous_ and then dropped a bomb on Obi-Wan's head.

“I don't want to,” he said, sounding petulant instead of terrified.

“Obi-Wan,” Padme said, voice firm. “ _Call him_.”

Obi-Wan muttered one last protest before giving in and pulling his phone out. He didn't bother to read any of the now four texts from Cody before calling his number. Cody picked up on the second ring. “This is unexpected.”

“You know, I do know how to use a phones voice functions,” Obi-Wan said. “I—”

“It was a dick move.”

Obi-Wan winced and Padme petted her cat, pretending not to be listening or watching. “Yes, I know I'm sor—”

“No, I mean me,” Cody said and his voice was calm and Obi-Wan paused in confusion. “I should have warned you or had a talk about it first. You were waffling about, well, everything and I wanted to see how you would react to an actual relationship. It's funny, considering how many lectures I used to give everyone about consent and I just dropped that on you.”

“You actually give lectures about consent?” Obi-Wan asked, blinking rapidly at the wall over Padme's TV.

“Yeah,” Cody said. “Damn it, I reported people over their lack of understanding. This isn't that but—”

“Wait, really?” Obi-Wan asked. “You actually reported people? That's—”

“You know what, how about not going down that road right now?” Cody said and Obi-Wan snapped his jaw shut. He was pretty sure Qui-Gon's disapproving voice was the only thing that could get that reaction from him. “For fuck's sake, I'm trying to apologize.”

“Okay,” Obi-Wan said. “Apology accepted.”

There was a pause. “Really?” Cody said and then more tentatively. “I really do, you know. Want you to be my boyfriend.”

“Not ready for that yet,” Obi-Wan said and felt like he deserved a fucking star for even being able to honestly admit that.

For a second he thought that still meant messing up.

“Okay,” Cody said instead. “I can wait.”

“Could be a stupid long wait,” Obi-Wan said.

“I can wait,” Cody said firmly. “Good night, Obi-Wan,” he added, something soft in his voice and Obi-Wan had to swallow.

“Yeah. 'Night. Try and sleep well.”

“I'll work on it,” Cody said, wry amusement leaking into his voice and Padme was watching him when he hung up the phone.

“That went well?” she offered, tentative.

“If I manage not to throw up in the next fifteen minutes the answer will be yes,” Obi-Wan said and she patted his knee, even though it woke up her damned cat who made another few whistling meows before settling down.

-0-

By the time he crawled home, Anakin had blown something up in the kitchen and Threepio was insisting the world was over.

“Did you get food?” Anakin called.

“What the fuck were you even trying to cook?” Obi-Wan asked, blinking owlishly at the kitchen.

“I'm cleaning it up so shut up,” Anakin said and looked at Obi-Wan with only his book bag. “That's a no on cat food.”

“Your girlfriend got me drunk,” Obi-Wan said. “And high on sugar. I cannot be held responsible.”

Anakin considered and then blushed. “She's not my girlfriend,” he said. “I mean, we haven't, it hasn't been, we're not, yet. Do you think she might—”

“I am either too drunk or not enough,” Obi-Wan declared. “Good night,” he added, patting Threepio on the head on his way past, not processing that meant the cat was on the counter until he was in his room. “Damnit,” he said to no one. He almost poked his head back out to yell at Anakin and fell face first into the bed instead.

 


End file.
